The color of spring in a bowl! This asparagus peas pasta is a perfect springtime dish. It's light, refreshing, and packed full of flavor. It's also a great option for a vegetarian or meatless meal. You can even add some protein to bulk this meal up.
Nothing says spring better than a bowl of vibrant, fresh pasta packed full of spring vegetables your body will love. Can we just take a minute and look at how gorgeous this bowl of pasta primavera is? The green of the asparagus and peas against the bright yellow pasta is a feast for the eyes. The aroma of fresh basil and lemon zest is enough to make your mouth water.
Not only is this dish visually appealing, but it's also incredibly easy to make. You can have this on your table in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal option. Plus, you only need a handful of ingredients to create this delicious dish.
Related recipes: air fryer salmon and asparagus, roasted asparagus and potatoes, sauteed green peas, pasta with bacon and peas and instant pot ramen noodles.
Why you will love this recipe
It is Incredibly easy to make. Simple, fresh, and nutritious meal. It can also be made ahead and perfect for meal prepping.
It tastes like a dish from an Italian restaurant, so you are guaranteed a restaurant-quality dish when you make this pasta at home.
Highly versatile: While this recipe uses just two spring vegetables, you can easily customize it by adding other spring vegetables you fancy.
Budget-friendly: peas and asparagus are cheap, especially in springtime; they are in abundance at this time of the year.
Great for entertaining: This dish is an impressive main course or side dish at a dinner party. Your guests will be impressed.
What you will need
- 250g pasta: I used Orecchiette but you can use any pasta shape of your choice. Penne pasta and fussili are perfect for this recipe as well.
- 1 ½ cups frozen green peas
- 1 pound asparagus: snap off and discard the wooden end, then cut the remaining into chunks
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil: sub with any other flavorless cooking oil you prefer.
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 4 garlic garlic cloves finely chopped
- Lemon zest from one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 10g fresh basil
- ½ cup parmesan cheese: freshly grated off the block for maximum flavor.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make asparagus peas pasta
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a pot of salted boiling water. While the pasta is cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the rest. In the meantime, saute the veggies.
In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Saute sliced onion until soft, translucent, and fragrant.
Add chopped asparagus and saute until bright green and slightly tender. Then add in chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Next, add in frozen peas and continue cooking until all the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the drained pasta to the sauteed vegetables, followed by the pasta water and lemon zest, and stir to combine.
Add parmesan cheese and stir to combine until the cheese melts. Tear in some fresh basil leaves for added freshness and flavor. Finally, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta and give it a final stir. Check for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
Take the skillet off the heat and serve the pasta hot, garnished with more parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired.
Watch how to make it
Variations and tips
- Add pancetta or bacon for an extra oomph of flavor.
- Substitute parmesan cheese for pecorino.
- Substitute pasta with orzo.
- Make it creamy by adding creme fraise, ricotta, or heavy cream.
- For a more filling dish, add protein, such as grilled/baked chicken or shrimp, to the pasta.
More easy pasta recipes you will love
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Asparagus Peas Pasta
Ingredients
- 250 g pasta I used Orecchiette
- 1 ½ cups frozen green peas
- 1 pound asparagus snap off and discard the wooden end then cut the remaining into chunks
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped about ½ cup
- 4 garlic garlic cloves finely chopped
- Lemon zest from one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 10 g fresh basil
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a pot of salted boiling water. While the pasta is cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the rest. In the meantime, saute the veggies.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Saute chopped onion until soft, translucent, and fragrant.
- Add chopped asparagus and saute until bright green and slightly tender. Then add in chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Next, add frozen peas and continue cooking until all the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauteed vegetables, followed by some pasta water and lemon zest, and stir to combine.
- Add parmesan cheese and stir to combine until the cheese melts. Tear in some fresh basil leaves and stir to combine. Finally, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta and give it a final stir. Check for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
- Take the skillet off the heat and serve the pasta hot, garnished with more parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious asparagus peas pasta recipe you can make at home in no time. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 stars and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox.
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